


Life and Living

by PaintingWithWords (paint_with_words)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Birthday, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Gen, M/M, vityaweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 17:03:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13528698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paint_with_words/pseuds/PaintingWithWords
Summary: Viktor realizes how much better his life is with Yuuri in it on his birthday.





	Life and Living

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for [Vitya Week 2017](https://vityaweek.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, under the prompt [Day Seven/Life- Free Day](https://vityaweek.tumblr.com/tagged/day%207). There are lots of great works there, so go check out some of the other wonderful things people created for Viktor's birthday, if you haven't already.

Viktor woke in the middle of the night, comfortably sandwiched between Yuuri and Makkachin.  One of Yuuri’s arms was draped across his waist, holding him close even in sleep.  Smiling, he laid his hand over Yuuri’s and laced their fingers together.  Just as he was beginning to drift off, some part of his brain realized that it was his birthday and instantly he was wide awake. He knew there was no way he could go back to sleep now.

Carefully, Viktor wormed his way out of bed.  When he began to move, Yuuri tightened his arm around Viktor’s waist and mumbled something unintelligible, clearly not awake and clearly not willing to let go of him.  Viktor held still for a moment and waited for Yuuri to settle deeper into sleep before he gently moved his arm off his waist and slipped free.  Once he was sure Yuuri wasn’t going to wake up, he padded softly into the living room, where he wouldn’t disturb anyone.

He walked over to the sliding glass door.  Snow was falling on the balcony, gathering on the table and chairs they’d purchased this past summer.  It was still dark outside and it would be hours before the sun was up.  Winter in Saint Petersburg was dark and cold, with only a few hours of daylight this far north.  He was used to it, having been born and raised here, but Yuuri was still adjusting. 

Last year, Viktor has spent his birthday with Yuuri and his family.  It had been a quiet and subdued affair, unlike most of the raucous and shallow gatherings that had marked the occasion for most of his adult life.  It had been nice to spend the day with people who genuinely cared about him as opposed to spending it with people who were interested in what he could do for them.  And instead of partying all night, he’d gone to bed fairly early, letting Yuuri lead him by the hand up the stairs to their room, where they had a private celebration all of their own.

Viktor crossed to the kitchen and poured a glass of water.  He took a few sips and walked back into the living room, sitting down on the couch.  He looked up at the fairy lights strung along the perimeter of the ceiling, framing the room.  It wasn’t a perfect job, but the sight of Yuuri standing on one of the kitchen chairs, hammer in hand and nails in his mouth as he hung the lights had been delightful and silly and heartwarming, all at the same time. The Novogodnaya Yolka tree wouldn’t come out until a little closer to New Year’s, but Yuuri had wanted to hang lights like he had when he lived in Detroit. Smiling, Viktor stood up and plugged them in, bathing the room in a soft, warm glow.  He sat back down and took another sip from his glass, lost in thought.

Yuuri had brought so many wonderful changes to his life.  He felt more focused, more alive, than he ever had before.  Many people had commented on how he laughed and smiled more, from their rinkmates to his handful of friends outside the skating world. They’d even bumped into one of his exes at a party and he’d said that Viktor looked happier than he’d ever seen him look before.  It had been amusing to watch Yuuri bristle with just the tiniest touch of possessive jealousy, but God, the sex that night had been _so_ good…  Viktor could feel the heat rising in his cheeks at the memory and he looked down at the golden band on his finger, a symbol of their commitment to each other, admiring the way it caught the light and seemed to glow. 

Yuuri had given him the ring a little over a year ago, as a thank you for coaching him and as an early birthday present.  Or so he’d said.  It had certainly felt like so much more.  Viktor was the one who had called it an engagement ring in front of everyone, and Yuuri hadn’t corrected him.  The truth was he didn’t want to let Yuuri go, not ever.  He would’ve married Yuuri right then and there, in that restaurant in Barcelona, in front of everybody.  He’d dated and slept with his fair share of people, but he’d never had anyone to really share his life with before Yuuri, who simply accepted him- _all_ of him- as he was. 

It was hard to believe that night in Barcelona had been a little over a year ago.  It seemed like yesterday, and it seemed like years ago, all at the same time. How was that possible?

It had been a hard year, but it had been worth it. When he’d returned to Saint Petersburg, Yakov had told him that it was a fool’s errand to try to coach and compete at the same time, and that it couldn’t, and shouldn’t, be done. Perhaps Yakov was right.  He was tired, more tired than he’d ever been, but at the same time he’d never felt more alive.  He had always loved competing, but coaching brought out something vital in him that competition had never touched.  And helping Yuuri realize his full potential was, in some ways, even more rewarding than realizing his own.  But it took its toll, and he wasn’t getting any younger.  He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to do both.

Normally, they would be able to take a small break right after the Grand Prix.  They hadn’t managed to draw a single event together leading up to the Grand Prix in Nagoya, and they were still recovering from all the traveling.  Yuuri had gone with Viktor to every competition, even though he wasn’t competing. The official story they told was that they didn’t want Yuuri’s training to suffer, but the truth was they didn’t want to be apart.  Yuuri did train, but not as intensely as he would have had he stayed behind and trained with one of Yakov’s assistants. 

It would be nice to take a little time off, have a chance to catch their breath and enjoy the accomplishments of the past year. But this was no ordinary year.  Pyeongchang loomed on the horizon, only a month and a half away, and there was no time for rest and reflection.  They were both going to represent their respective nations.  This was Viktor’s second time to go to the Olympics, Yuuri’s first, and they were both feeling the pressure.  

Once the Olympics were done, he could sit down and figure out what to do and where to go from here.  If he was still this tired, it might be time to consider retiring for good and coaching Yuuri full-time, like Yakov kept pushing him to do.  Or maybe he could coax one more year of competition out of his aging body, go for the gold just one more time-

“Viktor?” Yuuri murmured, drawing him from his thoughts. He had been so lost in thought he hadn’t even heard Yuuri get up.  Viktor looked at him, framed in the doorway to the bedroom, and gave him a soft and appreciative smile.  Yuuri was barely awake, sleepily rubbing at his eyes, and somehow he still looked sexy. Oh, he was a lucky man and he knew it. “What are you doing up?  It’s not even four yet.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” he replied honestly. Yuuri crossed the short distance between them, sat down on the couch next to him, and hesitantly placed a hand on Viktor’s knee.

“Are you okay?” Yuuri asked, not wanting to intrude. Yuuri wasn’t the only one who needed his space sometimes.  They both had their bad days. 

“I’m fine,” Viktor answered, resting his hand over Yuuri’s and giving it a little squeeze to reassure him.  “I was just doing a little thinking.”

Yuuri hummed in acknowledgement as he squeezed back, comforting Viktor in return.  “What were you thinking about?”

“How happy I am that you’re in my life,” he said, lacing his fingers with Yuuri’s.

“I think the same thing about you every day, Viktor,” Yuuri murmured as he leaned his head against Viktor’s shoulder in an effort to hide the shy smile that was slowly spreading across his face.  Viktor pressed a soft kiss into Yuuri’s sleep-tousled hair and closed his eyes.  Just being with Yuuri was the best present he could have ever asked for.

“Let’s go back to bed,” he said, nuzzling Yuuri’s hair.  “What time are we supposed to be at Lilia’s tonight for dinner? Do you remember?”

“Six, I think,” Yuuri answered as Viktor pulled him up off the couch.  “Why?”

“I think that gives us plenty of time to celebrate my birthday properly, don’t you?” Viktor purred as he drew Yuuri into the bedroom.  Yuuri didn’t answer in words, but then again, he didn’t need to.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! As always, comments & kudos are appreciated. You can read more of my fics [here](http://archiveofourown.org/users/paint_with_words/works).


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